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Does it help the OpenStreetMap-project in any way if you only upload gps-data (ie .gpx)? Would this be a useful thing to do?

asked 12 Jun '15, 13:53

applemano's gravatar image

applemano
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edited 12 Jun '15, 15:57


Yes, it definitely does. It helps to show where imagery might be offset from GPS traces, and where there's a large discrepancy between traces in the same place, where GPS traces may be problematical.

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answered 12 Jun '15, 13:57

SomeoneElse's gravatar image

SomeoneElse ♦
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edited 12 Jun '15, 13:57

Yes, uploading gpx tracks is very helpful, especially in areas where few are available. Of course, if you were then to edit the osm based on the new information provided by the gpx, that would earn you even more karma. I like to have all the bushwalking tracks in the national parks in my country mapped completely and accurately and often the gpx tracks are the only way to do this because tree cover renders satellite imagery unhelpful. Keep up the good work and thanks for your help.

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answered 12 Jun '15, 14:07

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nevw
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+1 to this. Many of the trails in the local open space preserves and parks are not well marked in OSM. And the tree cover means they are not usually visible in satellite imagery. Finally, between the tree cover and relatively steep canyons any one GPX track is not all that accurate. So having multiple tracks (my own plus those uploaded before by others) helps in determining the trail location.

For non-trail surveying, it helps too: Often the satellite imagery available to OSM is out of date. If there are lots of GPX tracks that are deviating from a highway it is an indicator that the road geometry has changed from when the satellite imagery was taken.

(12 Jun '15, 15:39) n76

Yes! Apart from the other good reasons mentioned here, there are also areas where no satellite pictures of any quality are available. In those cases, a GPX might be the only source to map a road properly or even at all. Mostly, that's the case in poorer countries with low population density, so if you happen to be in such a place, share those tracks!

If you do not intend to use the GPX for mapping yourself, it would be great if you choose the Public or the Identifiable option on upload (you get four choices in the upload page). That way, mappers might contact you if the GPX trace raises any questions.

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answered 13 Jun '15, 13:40

joost%20schouppe's gravatar image

joost schouppe
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accept rate: 12%

When I try to use them for offset adjustment in a urban setting the amount of variation through deliberate inaccuracies and multiple path options can make it very hard to use especially as I can't tell whether they took it from a sidewalk tram line car or bus. Though the theory is nice and can work in some spot on low sensitivity mapping [like nodes are far apart] it does fail on urban streets when you start to map at metre/yard and smaller sensitivities for street furniture like signs lamps crossings and entrances etc. They are great on a forest hiking trail with no deviations randomly done and little else to cue from.

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answered 12 Jun '15, 20:14

Govanus's gravatar image

Govanus
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accept rate: 3%

an annotation method would be good improvement especially at a pint level to descibe what you are near at the time like traffic_sign post ref=45

(12 Jun '15, 20:17) Govanus
1

I use all the traces i can see to get a good average to edit footpaths. The paths are often narrow, more so at stiles, on foot bridges and on the meter wide, or less, through farmer crops, This means many of the traces will be on the path. But if you use a trace that could be almost anywhere between hedgerow it will be less useful.

(13 Jun '15, 19:16) andy mackey

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question asked: 12 Jun '15, 13:53

question was seen: 3,497 times

last updated: 13 Jun '15, 19:16

NOTICE: help.openstreetmap.org is no longer in use from 1st March 2024. Please use the OpenStreetMap Community Forum